BASSTERRE (25th October, 2021): St. Kitts & Nevis today celebrates the inaugural call of the Viking Orion, an ultra-luxury ship from Viking Ocean Cruises, a division of Viking Cruises. Officially a stop on their winter 2021/2022 schedule, the Viking Orion will call 10 times to St. Kitts Winter 2021/20-22 season. This is the fourth vessel to call since the restart of the cruise sector and the first inaugural call of the 2021/2011 season. Viking Ocean Cruises is the largest luxury cruise line and was voted the #1 Ocean Line in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2021 Readers’ Choice Awards.
Viking Cruises came to St. Kitts for the first time in the 2016-17 Season, with the Viking Sea. Since then, the Viking Sky, Viking Star and Viking Sun have visited St. Kitts. Welcoming the Inaugural call of the Viking Orion is significant in the global pandemic, as cruise tourism rebuilds globally.
The Honourable Lindsay F.P. Grant, Minister of Tourism, Transport and Ports, said, “It is with great pleasure that we welcome Viking Orion today. This visit is symbolic of the continued relationship between Viking Cruises and St. Kitts, it demonstrates Viking’s confidence in St. Kitts the destination. The restart of cruise globally requires all of us in the Federation to their part so old and new cruise visitors can experience our one-of-a-kind attractions, dynamic culture, rich history, simply the authentic Caribbean.
While in port, passengers will have their choice of distinctive, “Travel-Approved” excursions to engage their sense of wander, including the historic and one-of-a kind Brimstone Hill Fortress and National Park, Caribelle Batik, where the hot wax method of making batik cloth is still used or the St. Kitts Scenic Railway, the last and only passenger railway in the West Indies. Passengers can also enjoy and wander along one of our beautiful beaches, South Friars or Carambola Beach Club, tour a fully restored French Plantation house at Fairview Great House or enjoy the tropical gardens at Palms Court Gardens. Visitors can also wander freely in Port Zante and enjoy the local art and crafts from the Amina Craft Market and Black Rocks vendors or visit the retail stores, souvenir shops, bars and restaurants offering local, Caribbean and International dishes.
“We want to thank Viking Cruises for their valued partnership and for including St. Kitts & Nevis on the itinerary of the Viking Orion’s inaugural season,” said Racquel Brown, CEO of the St. Kitts Tourism Authority. While St. Kitts has often been a destination for inaugural vessels, this visit is exceptionally significant at a time when the cruise lines and the destinations are working together to rebuild the sector in the wake of the global pandemic. We look forward to having Viking Cruises back and look forward to our ongoing partnership for many years to come.
The Viking Orion is sailing from Ft. Lauderdale, Port Everglades on a 14-day cruise itinerary on which St. Kitts is the third (3rd) day.
